Apuron Again Accused of Sexual Abuse

By Steve Limtiaco
Pacific Daily News
August 9, 2018

https://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2018/08/09/apuron-again-accused-sexual-abuse/944256002/

After former altar boys tearfully went public with allegations, a law was passed to open doors for lawsuits against the church, clergy and others. Wochit

A seventh person has accused Guam Archbishop Anthony Apuron of sexual abuse – a man who said Apuron assaulted him in the 1990s when he lived with Apuron and attended Father Duenas Memorial School.

The accusations are spelled out in a lawsuit filed this week by “D.M.”, stating D.M. was a Saipan resident who lived with Apuron on the weekends during the 1994-1995 school year.

A five-member Vatican tribunal in October 2017 found Apuron guilty of “certain of the accusations” of sexually abusing minors and stripped Apuron of his office and prohibited him from living at the Archdiocese of Guam. The verdict was not made public until March 2018.

Apuron appealed, which means the penalties are suspended, pending final resolution by the Vatican.

Archbishop Michael Byrnes, who has been named as Apuron’s eventual replacement, on Thursday said he prays for D.M. and all who have come forward recently with claims of being abused by Guam Catholic clergy.

“The archdiocese will follow its procedures under its new, strengthened sexual abuse policy, immediately notifying the Holy See in Rome,” of the claim, the archdiocese stated.

It stated the policy requires online training for those entrusted to protect children in their care, and a background check for those who work directly with youths, among other provisions.

Apuron was publicly accused of sexually abusing minors in May 2015, by Roy Quintanilla, who said Apuron abused him when he was an altar boy in Agat in the 1970s and Apuron was the village priest.

Quintanilla, two other former Agat altar boys and the family of a deceased Agat altar boy all have sued the church and Apuron in connection with alleged sexual abuse, including allegations of rape.

Apuron’s nephew in January also sued Apuron, accusing him of raping him when he was a teenager, in 1989 or 1990.

John Toves in 2014 accused Apuron of raping Toves’ cousin, who never came forward to support the allegations. No lawsuits have been filed in connection with that accusation.

Apuron has denied all allegations of sexual abuse.